Staying
by darkgaaraluver
Summary: Kiriha and Taiki stay after the battle with Quartzmon to have a talk.


AN- I just finished binge watching all of season 6 through Hunters and I didn't really ship these two at first. I didn't realized I shipped them at all until Hunters. Taiki just looked so happy to see him on the island and just way happier in general whenever he was around. Like he seemed okay for the first portion of Hunters but then he was so happy when he saw Kiriha it was like he'd been depressed the whole time. It was ridiculous. I also didn't realize I liked Kiriha that much until that episode when I literally screamed seeing him again. I hadn't really liked him through the whole first season or whatever of xros hearts and he was slightly better to me when Taiki came back to the digiworld for the second part, but I didn't even actively like him till near the end of that and then literally screaming when he showed up in Hunters. Geez. I think I was more excited to see him than the old digidestined which just shamed my ancestors because I only watched these seasons in the first place to see them again, cause I love them so much T.T Maybe it was just Tagiru being the main character that seeing someone who could boost Taiki made me happy. Who knows? Anyway I thought of them hanging out after the battle and it gave me feels so this came out apparently even though I'm supposed to be writing Daiken *sigh*

I do not own this anime or the characters.

Staying

The power that pulled the people back to Earth and the Digimon back to the Digital world had deposited all the people back in the same general area they'd been digitized from. All the Hunters had ended up back on the bridge, including Tagiru, who was lucky he hadn't been thrown into the water. Most of the people had wondered away already, still in shock, or sadness about losing their digimon friend. Nene had had to practically drag Yuu away, him having had to say goodbye to Damemon for the second time.

The only ones left now were Taiki and Kiriha. Neither of them had looked at each other since people had started leaving, neither willing to admit that they might be hanging around for the other. Taiki was leaning against the railing, looking out at the water while Kiriha stood slightly behind him and was looking off to his right.

Taiki was the one to break the silence that had settled after the last person left, as he knew he'd have to be, but when he talked he addressed the railing instead to Kiriha. "So, now that the world is saved again… are you going back overseas?"

Kiriha glanced at the ground before deciding Taiki couldn't see him from where he was standing anyway and just stared at him. "You know, I only went overseas because that clock maker told me I was needed away from here."

Taiki felt a ping of hope and jerked his head up reflexively. He forced himself to hold it down and keep any expressions off his face. "Just because your job overseas is supposedly gone doesn't mean you can't go back. If you were happy over there you can go back."

Kiriha scoffed. "I don't need you to give me permission to do something. I can damn well do as I please now that I'm sixteen and exonerated."

Taiki visibly deflated at this and Kiriha bit his tongue and looked away again. He hadn't meant to sound like that.

Taiki squeezed the railing so hard his knuckles turned white in an effort to keep his voice level. "So you're going away aga-"

Kiriha turned and yelled so loud he even shocked himself. "NO"

Taiki let go of the railing completely and turned to face him for the first time this whole conversation.

Kiriha was so embarrassed he couldn't look at him and turned his head away and crossed his arms so Taiki wouldn't see the blush he could feel covering his face as he addressed him. "It's just, the rest of the world doesn't really need my help right now and here seems to be where the digital world is attached the most so staying here I have a better chance of seeing Greymon and the others again. Besides if anything ever happens it'll be here and you'll need me to save your ass. That's all!"

Taiki laughed and Kiriha spun to look at him, only to be met with a smile so wide and beautiful it made it hard for him to breath. It was made even harder for him to breathe when Taiki ran at him and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, making him drop his arms in shock.

It took a second, but Kiriha lifted his own arms and wrapped them around Taiki's waist, blush now darkening his face worse than ever.

Taiki pulled away just enough be able to talk to him, his arms dropping from Kiriha's shoulders, the smile slowly winding down and a faint blush now making an appearance. "I actually really missed you when you were gone Kiriha. After the battle with Bagramon in the real world you just disappeared. I wasn't sure what happened to you. When you showed up on that island I was just so happy to see you…"

Kiriha avoided Taiki's eyes. "I was just going to take some time, get my life back together in the real world before… But then the clockmaker came and told me what was going on. He said I shouldn't tell you, and I didn't really want to come see you for the first time since Bagramon just to tell you I was leaving the country for an unknown amount of time…"

The two of them made eye contact, the smile blooming again over Taiki's face, they just stared at each other for a while.

Taiki came back to himself before Kiriha did. The hope had grown so much in him he felt like exploding. That's what he blamed latter that night when he was lying in bed happier than he'd been in a long while, even covered in bruises and probably bleeding in various places, for what he did next.

One moment he was smiling at Kiriha the next he'd propelled himself forward and latched on to Kiriha's lips.

Kiriha was shocked for a second before it felt like everything in him slotted back into place and he raised his hands to grasp the back of Taiki's head and pull him closer just as he was going to pull away. Taiki sighed and opened his mouth a little, which Kiriha immediately took advantage of to go wrap his tongue up in his and explore his mouth. Taiki pulled his whole body closer, enough so he could feel Kiriha's locket dig into his own chest, and brought his hands up to cling to the sides of Kiriha's shirt. One of Kiriha's hand's slipped down Taiki's neck as he let out a muffled moan.

Eventually Kiriha realized they were still in public and other people might be milling around the event site. He kept his eyes closed as he slowly pulled away, just far enough to rest his forehead on Taiki's. His other hand now drifting down to rest on the other side of his neck.

They both rested there panting for a bit when Kiriha broke the relative silence. "I missed you too. I'm never leaving again. At least not without you."

Taiki tightened his grip on Kiriha's shirt and moved his head so it was resting against his shoulder instead and Kiriha moved his hands down Taiki's back, before wrapping them around his waist. Kiriha gulped, but decided to just let it out now that Taiki wasn't looking right at him. "You, you feel like home to me Taiki. Like I'm not alone. I don't want to lose that feeling. And, and I really care about you. I'm glad we found each other in the Digital world. I feel like I wouldn't be me without you anymore."

Taiki moved his hands up to Kiriha's chest and turned his head so Kiriha could hear him talk. "I'm glad we found each other too. I couldn't have done it without your help. I'm glad I get to experience your powerful love first hand. I really care about you too, and I know it's selfish to say… but I don't ever want you to leave again. If I had it my way I'd keep you with me always."

Taiki then surprised both of them by crumpling to his knees, passed out.

When Kiriha realized what had happened he grit his teeth. The conversation should have waited for tomorrow, Taiki was still injured from the fight. But instead of going home like he should have and gotten some sleep or even going to the hospital, he'd stayed and talked to him, overexerting himself like always, and Kiriha had allowed it because he'd figured Taiki was only as banged up as he himself was, which was admittedly quite a bit, forgetting about the major hit he had taken earlier.

He tsked and lightly slapped Taiki's cheek to wake him up. When Taiki slowly blinked open his eyes Kiriha removed his left arm from his shoulder and draped his right arm more securely around both of his shoulders and slowly started to lift the two of them back to their feet. When they were standing he put his own arm securely around Taiki's waist and started walking them both toward Taiki's house, more hindered than helped by Taiki's own stumbling.

When Kiriha looked over at Taiki again, only to see him smiling up at him instead of concentrating on walking he tsked again before announcing, "You need to stop overworking yourself, you're going to work yourself into an early grave. This could have waited until tomorrow at least. Also, I'm buying you some new goggles. I can't believe you gave yours to that loser Tagiru. You look off without them."

Taiki chuckled a bit. "I was worried you'd run off again before I could talk to you if I put it off. And you shouldn't call Tagiru a loser, he did just save the world after all."

Kiriha frowned. "I wouldn't have left this time Taiki. And I don't care what he did he's still a loser. And you still need goggles. By the way should I be taking you to the hospital instead of your house?"

Taiki shook his head slightly and decided to ignore the comments about Tagiru. "I didn't know that Kiriha I couldn't lose my chance. If you had left with everyone else I was going to follow you or ask you what you were doing in front of other people even if I had too. And I don't need a hospital, I think it's mostly bruises. I've broken my ribs before and they don't feel broken now so I should be fine. Besides I can only imagine the state of the hospital after having the whole building digitalized and de-digitalized."

They chatted the whole way to his house and when they parted at the door they were both sure they'd actually see each other soon like they said.


End file.
